Oceana County

4-H Horse and Pony Project Notebook

Level 4 - 2016

PICTURE OF HORSE AND RIDER

Rider’s Name:______________________________________________

Horse’s Name: _____________________________________________

Birth Date: ___________ 4-H Age: ___________ Years in Project: __________

Name of Club: __________________________ Years in Club: ___________

JUDGE’S SCORE/COMMENT SHEET (PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE OR PLACE THIS SHEET IN SHEET PROTECTOR. This sheet must be keep free to the judge to write their comments.) This sheet should help each 4-H’er understand their ribbon placing. A. Specific educational value or worth ___ All questions were answered completely ___ All calculations were correct ___ Calculations were incorrect ___ Questions were not completely answered ___ Questions were not answered (missed questions) B. Creative way of showing what has been learned ___ Notebook pages were out of order ___ Notebook pages were missing C. Notebook contains all project records ___ Notebook contained all project records and were fully completed. ___ Notebook contained additional project related information (research materials etc.). ___ Project records were incomplete ___ There was no additional project related information D. Accuracy, neatness and general appearance

___ Notebook was neat in appearance (typed/hand printed)

___ Notebook pages were clean and stain free

___ Notebook was difficult to read and messy

___ Notebook had wrinkled and stained pages

Other Comments:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Horse Project Objectives and Record Keeping

1. Develop desirable work habits, sportsmanship, and the ability to cooperate and express

ideas through participation in projects, discussions, method demonstrations, judging

teams, and exhibits.

2. Develop responsibility, leadership, citizenship, and decision-making skills

3. Learn to know and select a good saddle horse

4. Learn to care for horses properly

5. Develop knowledge of safety precautions to prevent injury to yourself, others, and your

mount

6. Learn to ride

7. Learn to train and handle horses

8. Gain knowledge of major breeds, colors, gaits, and safety

9. Experience the pride of working with a horse or pony and being responsible for its

management

10. Develop an appreciation of horseback riding as a healthy and wholesome form of

recreation

11. Learn skills in horsemanship and gain an understanding of the business of breeding,

raising, and training horses

12. Acquire information on the opportunities available for careers working with horses.

13. Learn the importance of the horse industry to the local, state, and national economies.

This record book is part of your Level 4 Horse Project. By keeping records up-to-date you will be able

to see how much progress you make as you set goals and work to accomplish them. Write or type

neatly and clearly. Please keep the pages in order. Feel free to add extra pages at the end of your

notebook. Pictures are a required part of your notebook. Taking pictures of your project animal

throughout the project will indicate how your animal has grown and developed. Add pictures to

your notebook on a separate piece of paper.

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 1 Rider & Horse Information

My project is a (circle one): Horse Pony Mule

Animal’s registered name (if applicable): _____________________________________

Animal’s nickname or stable name: ________________________________________

What color is your horse/pony? __________________________________________

What markings do they have? ___________________________________________

Is it a mare or gelding? ______________________________________________

How old is it? ___________________________________________________

What breed is your horse/pony? __________________________________________

List Registry Association(s) if they are registered: ________________________________

What is the height of your horse/pony in hands? _________________________________

How long have you owned, leased or borrowed your horse/pony? ________________________

How long have you and your horse/pony been in 4-H together? _________________________

Do you keep your horse/pony at home or is it boarded? ______________________________

If your horse/pony is boarded, how do you care for it? Do you have to feed it or clean the stall? How often?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

If you keep your horse/pony at home, what are your responsibilities? Do you feed and clean stalls?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 2 Project Activities

Name of your 4-H Horse Project Club: __________________________________________________________

Number of club meetings held: ________________ Number of meetings you attended: _________________

List any 4-H committees you serve on:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Did you hold an officer position in your 4-H club? □Yes □No

If yes, what position? And what were your duties?

□ President □ Vice President □ Secretary □ Treasurer □ Other

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you belong to any other 4-H clubs? And if so, what other projects did you complete in 2016?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Visit a feed store. Talk to an owner, manager, or sales staff. Ask them about their knowledge of the horse

industry. Inquire about the responsibilities their job entails. If they have a business card, include it in the

appendix section of your notebook.

Feed Store Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Location: _________________________ Who did you speak with? __________________________________

What was their position at the business? _________________________________________________________

How did they become involved in the feed/horse industry? __________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Does this business employ experts in horse nutrition? If so, what is that person’s educational background?

(College, apprenticeship, industry workshops, etc.) ________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 3 Feeding Summary

Horse Name Age

Weight** Status

(circle one)

Work Load

(circle one)

Production Level

(circle one)

Amount Fed per Day

Easy Keeper (gains weight

easily)

Average Keeper (weight

fluctuates)

Hard Keeper (horse needs

more than forage to

continually keep weight, it is

hard to keep weight on it)

Maintenance (0-1

hours/day)

Light (1-2 hours/day)

Medium (2-4 hours/day)

Heavy (+4 hours/day)

Growing

Performance

Maintenance/Idle

Senior

Grain ______________________ lbs.

Forage _____________________ lbs.

Supplements ________________ oz.

** Please calculate the weight of your horse/pony, showing all work below.

(HG² x BL) ÷ 330 = W

What does HG stand for? __________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does BL stand for? __________________________________________________________________________________________________

What type of forage does your horse/pony eat? _________________________________________________________________________________

If you feed grain, what type does your horse/pony receive? _______________________________________________________________________

If you feed supplements, what type (s) does your horse/pony receive? ______________________________________________________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 4

Health

What is the normal temperature range of a horse/pony (Degrees in Fahrenheit)? ________________

How do you take the temperature?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

What is your horse/pony’s temperature? _________________________________ Date Taken: _____________

What is the normal heart rate of a horse/pony (Beats per Minute)? _______________________

How do you take a horse/pony’s pulse?

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

What is your horse/pony’s resting pulse? ___________________________________ Date Taken:___________

What is the normal respiration rate of a horse/pony (Breaths per Minute)? ____________________

What is your horse/pony’s resting respiration rate? ___________________________ Date Take: ____________

Name your equine dentist. ____________________________________________________________________

Has your horse/pony had any dental work done this past year? If so, what kind of work did they receive?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Name your farrier. __________________________________________________________________________

Does your horse/pony need shoes? If so, what type?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What are four health problems for horses that are common during the hotter months of the year?

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 5

Health, cont.

What are three ways that you can prevent heat-related health problems?

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________________

Name five diseases that you can (and should) vaccinate your horse for. For each vaccination, list who

administers it, how it is administered and the length of its effectiveness.

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Has your horse been treated for any injuries or illnesses this past 4-H season? If so, please explain what they

were and how they were treated.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 6

Health, cont.

What are the six essential nutrients? For each nutrient, list how your horse acquires it and one reason it is

needed in the diet. (refer to: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=B1355 ; How to Feed a

Horse: Understanding the Basic Principles of Horse Nutrition )

1. _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Match the following grains (on the left) with their descriptions (on the right). Draw a line from the grain to its

description.

A. Oats 1. Susceptible to ergot fungus

B. Barley 2. Easy to digest; soft and easy to roll

C. Corn 3. Must be fed crimped or rolled

D. Wheat 4. Can be lethal when moldy

E. Rye 5. High in energy; expensive

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 7

Horse Conformation & Anatomy

Match the following unsoundness and/or conformation faults (on the left) to their

definitions (on the right). Draw a line from the unsoundness/conformation fault to its

definition.

A. Bone spavin 1. Depression of the muscle mass in the shoulder caused by an injury to a nerve

B. Bog spavin 2. Puffy condition in the hollow of the hock

C. Thoroughpin 3. Soft filling of the natural depression on the inside and front of the hock

D. Calf-knees 4. Knees that protrude too far forward when viewed from the side

E. Buck-knees 5. Knees that break backward when viewed from the side

F. Sweeney 6. Bony enlargement on the inside and front of the hock

Using vocabulary from the word bank, complete the following conformation statements.

A. The length of the leg from the___________________________ to the elbow should be equal to the depth of

the_______________________________ from the elbow to the top of the _____________________________.

B. The point of the _________________ should be on the same ________________________ as or lower than the

top of the withers, so that the horse naturally travels “uphill”.

C. When the horse is divided through the center of the back, the_____________________ (not including the head

and neck), should be equal in size to the ____________________. Note that the center of gravity is different from

the center of the horse. Because of the weight of the head and neck, the center of gravity is just behind

the___________________ when the horse is standing. When the horse is divided through the middle of the back,

approximately 60% of the weight is carried on the front legs, because of the additional weight of the head and

neck.

D. The well balanced horse has a shorter ________________ (from the point of the withers to the point of the hip) in

comparison to a longer__________________ (from the point of the elbow to the_________________________).

E. Refinement is a general lack of_______________________________. The factors closely associated with quality

and refinement are:

a. A refinement of body parts - the horse should be_________________________ and clean-cut, not coarse,

with body parts that blend smoothly together.

b. Tendons and joints should be well defined, not ___________________________.

c. Tight, thin____________________________.

d. Hard, smooth, durable_______________________________.

e. Obvious _____________________ characteristics.

WORD BANK COARSENESS CROUP ELBOW FETLOCK FLESHY

FOREQUARTER GENDER HEARTGIRTH HEIGHT HINDQUARTER

HOOVES SKIN SMOOTH STIFLE TOP LINE

UNDERLINE WITHERS

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 8

Horse Conformation & Anatomy, cont.

Circle or highlight the indicated parts of the horse in the puzzle below.

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 9

PATTERNS Create your own REINING pattern that could be performed at a show. You must include the arena dimensions needed. Please have a key that identifies all instructions (should include a written list.) Also, label a start, finish and position of the judge.

KEY:

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 10

Hoof Care Record

Date Horse’s Name Type of Hoof Care

(Example: front shoes, trim) Cost

Example Sandy All four feet trimmed, horse shoes pulled then

adjusted and reattached to front hooves $100.00

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 11

HUNT SEAT EQUITATION Describe or draw the desirable position of the rider’s upper body, seat, legs, feet, arms and hands. Describe or draw the desirable position of the horse. Refer to the University of Arkansas’ Hunt Seat Equitation: https://www.uaex.edu/farm-ranch/animals-forages/horses/hunt_seat_equitation.pdf

RIDER:

HORSE:

Identify some of the commonly observed faults with a rider’s body position when riding hunt seat.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 12

Riding & Training Record

Month Number of Days Riding/Training Total Hours Description of Activity

Example 8 18 Trail ride, practice over fences

September 2015

October 2015

November 2015

December 2015

January 2016

February 2016

March 2016

April 2016

May 2016

June 2016

July 2016

August 2016

Total Number of Days Spent Riding/Training

Total Number of Hours Spent Riding/Training

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 13

Competitions

Please make a list of the shows or competitions that you have attended or participated in. Explain what kind of

show it was and list the date and location. If possible, please include classes entered, ribbons & awards (or

pictures of them).

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 14

Presentation

As a Level 4 rider, it is important to not only broaden your riding skills but also your knowledge as an equine

enthusiast! From the options below please choose a topic, research it and present it to your 4-H Horse/Pony

Club. You will gain valuable knowledge and skills such as public speaking, and you will also help teach others

about your project!

- Create a model of a parasite life cycle. Explain what the parasite is, what it does and how it is treated.

- Create an exhibit of poor conformation compared to a horse with desirable conformation. Explain the

differences and why you want a horse with ‘good conformation’.

- Draw/illustrate/build a horse’s internal conformation such as their skeleton, digestive system, reproductive

tract ect. Explain how this system works.

- At a riding meeting demonstrate how to calculate a horse’s weight, take its temperature, measure its

heartbeat and respiration rate.

- Gather samples of different hay & grains. Try to include some poor quality samples as well. Explain why

these samples are good or bad. Also explain what the good hay/grain does for a horse and explain what the

poor hay/grain will do to the horse.

- Do a presentation on your tack; what you use each piece for and how you care for it.

- Do a presentation on aids (natural or artificial). What do they do? How do you use them? How do they help

you with your horse?

What presentation did you choose? _____________________________________________________________

Why did you choose this? ____________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

What did you create for your presentation? ______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Please attach an outline of your presentation. Also attach either drawings or pictures of you presenting to your

club. Below, have your leader sign acknowledging your completion of this project presentation.

I, _________________________________, here by acknowledge that ________________________________

presented their topic on ________________________________ to our 4-H Horse/Pony club.

Leader Signature: ___________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Horse and Pony LEVEL 4 2016 PG 15

4-H Story

There are many things to learn in 4-H. Mark each item that you have learned or improved on during the past

4-H year.

I’ve learned or improved my ability to…

HEAD (Independence)

____ try something new

____ set goals for myself

____ plan a project

____ keep myself organized

____ keep track of finances

____ keep records of my work

____ gain knowledge of my project

____ use resources wisely

____ run a meeting

____ solve a problem

HANDS (Generosity)

____ work with others

____ work in a group setting

____ work with adults

____ help others succeed

____ lead others

____ perform community service

____ get past differences to reach a goal

____ make something with my hands

____ using my efforts to make a difference

____ taking initiative to start something on my own

HEART (Belonging)

____ give a public presentation

____ share my feelings or point of view

____ being a part of a committee

____ listen to others

____ respect another’s opinion

____ make new friends

____ stand up for others

____ appreciate others

HEALTH (Mastery)

____ understand my strengths and weaknesses

____ finish something I started

____ accept change

____ take responsibility for myself

____stay healthy

____ deal with winning and losing

____ be careful and practice safety

____ understand the importance of my health

The motto of 4-H is “learn by doing.” Each year we learn something new by participating in a 4-H project.

Please write a story that explains:

— Horsemanship accomplishments you achieved this year.

— Skills you had difficulty with and how you did/could fix them.

— Goals you are setting for next year.

Stories should be at least two paragraphs. Please attach additional pages as needed. Other examples that you

may consider including: something that happened that was funny, sad, or exciting; challenges you faced and

how you overcame them; who helped you with your project and how they contributed; things you are most

proud of. Feel free to relate your 4-H experience to other parts of your life (school, home, family, friends, etc.).